USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > Steubenville > Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, 20th > Part 14
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On Monday night the 27th several of the men lost their horses, and were sent back home as they would impede the march of the army. It had been calculated that the army could reach Sandusky in about seven days, but it wus Tuesday the 28th when it reached the Tusearawas towns. In the pre- reding four days the army had made only sixty miles, but now that the country was more level and open better time was ex- pected. The horses found abundant pro- vender from the nuharvested corn fields of the Moravians. Up to this time not an In- dian had been seen, and Crawford held the
been discovered, although spies had been hovering on the flanks and reur ever since he had left Mingo. During the evening two suvages were noticed near the camp who were fired upon without effect. Of course secrecy was out of the question now, even if it had ever been necessary. There has been considerable disenssion about the spies discovering at Mingo, after the army left, writing on trees and seraps of paper that "no quarter was to be given to any Indinn, whether man, woman or child." Doddridge gives credence to these as prov- ing that the object of the expedition was in- discriminate slaughter like the preceding one. while Butterfield discredits the state- ment in toto. We have seen that the expe- dition, although made up of volunteers who furnished their own horses, etc. was u mili tary one in the striet sense of the word. and although Irvine's instructions were "to destroy with fire and sword (if practicable) the Indian town and settlement at San- dusky," yet this instruction when taken in connection with the context can hardly b. construed as an order for wholesale mas- stere of non-combatants. On the other hand Williamson and many of the mem- bers of the first expedition were in this party, and during the four or five days they were gathering at Mingo may easily hive indulged in considerable reckless talk. for reticence wus not a border virtue. Just what the results would have been hud the expedition been successful we cannot say. but as the record stands we cannot charge those who inaugurated or connnanded the expedition with the intention of repeating the Gnadenhutten outrage.
On June 2nd the army reached the San dnsky River within twenty five miles of its destination. Two days later the month of Little Sandusky was reached, and during that day the Wyandot town, neur Upper Sandusky. The town was there, but not a single inhabitant. Some of the volunteers thought the Indians had removed to Lower Sandusky. forty miles south. Crawford ordered a halt for consultation, and started
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on a march in search of the foe. Zane and others urged an immediate return. Pro- visions were getting low, and the absence of the enemy looked ominous. It was be- lieved the Indians were concentrating and only waiting for the most favorable oppor- tunity to fall on the army in overwhelm- ing nmnbers and annihilate it. It is esti- mated that the Wyandots, Delawares and Shawanese mustered 1,100 warriors at that time, who with a company of British rau- gers and artillery from Detroit would make a most formidable force. Crawford coin- eided with Zane's views, and it was decided to continne the march that afternoon but no longer. Soon an advance guard came upon a party of Indians beyond a small grove which stood on a slight elevation, and immediately fell back on the main body. An advance was ordered and the grove seenred after some brisk firing, which continned until sunset. The day was hot, and the sol- diers suffered much from thirst, the river being over a mile distant. John Sherrard, father of the late Robert A. Sherrard, and grandfather of Hon. R. Sherrard, of Steu- benville, went in search of water, his gun having become nseless from forcing a bullet into the barrel without powder. He found a stagnant pool where a tree had been blown down, where he quenched his thirst. and during the balance of the day traveled back and forward carrying water to the men while the bullets flew thickly around hit.
When evening came Crawford was in possession of the field, with five killed and nineteen wounded men. The Indians had suffered much more severely, but they were not dispirited, as they were expecting re- inforcements in the morning, white as well as red. But little was done during the next day except desultory firing, Crawford in- tending a night attack. During the after- noon, however, a company of mounted men was seen approaching which proved to be Butler's British rangers from Detroit. In- dian reinforcements were also arriving, and it was soon evident that any attack was ont of the question. There was nothing to do
but retreat. The killed were buried and fires burned over their graves to prevent discovery. Of the twenty wounded, seven were dangerously so, and biers were pre- pared for conveying them. The others were mounted on horse-back, and placed in the centre, the army marching in four lines.
In order to deceive the Indians the army first moved towards Sandusky. Fire was opened on them, but the uncertainty as to whether the retreat was real or feigned, to- gether with the general disinclination of the Judians for night attacks, doubtless saved the borderers from annihilation. The army turned during the night and found its old trail, but when the roll was called the next morning only three hundred answered. Among the missing were Colonel Crawford, the Commander, Dr. JJohn Knight, and John Slover, the guide. Williamson now took command and with the able assistance of John Rose continued the retreat. They were attacked by a party of Indians on Olentanay Creek in what is now Crawford County on June 6, but succeeded in beat- ing off their assailants with a loss of three killed and eight wounded. There was but little further annoyance, and the expedition reached Mingo on the 13th where they were joined by several of the missing ones, some of whom had arrived two days before. Op- posite Mingo ou the evening of the 13th the troops went into camp for the last time. The next day they were discharged, and the twenty day campaign was ended.
Various causes have been assigned for the failure of this expedition, but there seems to have been one canse common to nearly all these movements, namely, ventur- ing far into the enemy's country, with an inadequate force and no base of supplies. If intended for a campaign the expedition wns far too weak, it was certain to be over- whehned; if intended simply as a raid a smaller force of picked men would probably have been better. True Clark had accom- plished wonders with a smaller force, but his genins enabled him to take advantage of conditions which did not exist in Ohio.
We shall here refer to the fate of some
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of the missing ones. Crawford had gone back to hurry up some stragglers, and was unable to overtake the army owing to the weariness of his horse. He met Dr. Knight and two others, and the next day came across several additional. When near the present site of Leesville on the south side of the Sandusky they met several Indians who had ambuscaded them. One Indian took Crawford by the hand and another Knight. They were taken to the Delaware camp a mile distant with nine other pris- oners, two having been killed and scalped. On June 10th Crawford was taken to Half King's town where he met Simon Girty and offered him a thousand dollars to spare his life. Girty temporized but either could not or would not do anything, and Captain Pipe and the other chiefs determined to hasten Crawford's death. He was taken to the old town on the morning of June 11th with Knight and the other prisoners, their faces painted black, indicating death nt the stake. Here five prisoners were toma- hawked by boys and squaws and Knight turned over to some Shawanese Indians. Crawford and Knight were taken to Pipe's village, and in the afternoon the former was stripped and tied to a stake, a fire burning abont seven feet distant. The rope had sufficient play to allow him to walk around the stake or sit down. In the crowd of about one hundred present there was said to have been a British officer in disguise. It is not necessary to relate his tortures in detail, the account is to be found in numerous publications. Knight was taken past the spot the next day where he saw the charred bones of the commander, around which the Indians had danced all night. Probably the most horrible part of the whole affair was when Crawford tell unconscions. After every imaginable tor- ture he was scalped, and a squaw poured live coals in the open wound, cansing him to get up and walk around once more.
Knight sneceeded in esenping during his journey to the Shawunese town, and reached Fort Pitt on July 4. Slover also
escaped and reached the Ohio River in safety.
We have already referred to the work of John Sherrard in connection with the battle of the Sandusky. Sherrard over- took the min body of the army just be- fore the latter left the woodland again to thread its way in the open country, in what is now Crawford County. His story is a melancholy one. In company with Daniel Harbugh, after having become separated from the division to which he belonged, just ns the retrent commenced the evening be- fore, he had followed as best he could, the main body of the troops, making, however. very slow progress, owing to the darkness which rendered it exceedingly difficult to to keep the trail of the retreating forces. It was a fortunate circumstance that the two followed in the rear of the division moving to the southwest from the field of battle, for hnd they taken the track of Me- Clelland's party which led between the camps of the Delawares and Shawanese, both doubtless would have been killed or captured. Not long after sunrise the next morning they gained the woods, and mov- ing along the trace on the east side of the Sandusky, some distance south of where the old town formerly stood, Sherrard, who was riding in advance of his companion, saw an Indinn n short distance away on his left. He immediately dismounted and got behind a tree, calling at the same time to his companion to place himself in like posture of defense. Harbaugh had not been quick enough to discover the Indian, for in getting upon the exposed side of the tree, he was immediately shot by the savage, ex- claiming as he gradually sunk down in a sitting posture, 'Lord, have mercy upon nie, I am a dead man!' and immediately ex- pired. As soon as the smoke of the Indian's gun had cleared away, the savage was dis- covered by Sherrard. running as if for life, doubtless expecting a shot from the lat- ter: but he had already escaped from the reach of a bullet. At the sight of Har- baugh's pale face his friend was greatly
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moved; more unmanned than at any of the scenes witnessed during the battle. After a moment to collect his thoughts, Sherrard stripped the saddle from his dead com- panion's horse and turned the animal loose. He then relieved his own horse from a very uncomfortable packsaddle and put in its place the saddle of Harbaugh. Mounting and taking a parting glance at the pros- trate form of his companion, still in a sit- ting posture, he rode sadly onward. Sher- rard had proceeded on the trail not a very great distance when he made the discovery that in the excitement of the moment he had neglected to disengage from the packsaddle a supply of provisions which were rolled np in a blanket. He resolved to retrace his steps and secure the provisions. Upon returning to the place where Harbaugh was shot, a shocking spectacle was presented to his view. The Indian had returned and had scalped the lifeless soldier and then made off with his horse, gun and bridle. Sherrard's packsaddle and blanket had not, however, been discovered by the savage; Sherrard having secured his provisions, again resumed his journey, overtaking the retreating army without again encountering an enemy, and was cor- dially greeted by his companions in arms.
Martin Swickard and Michael Myers, two subsequent settlers in Jefferson County were also with this expedition. Swickard and Myers were together during a portion of the retreat, and had many hardships and adventures. At the loan exhibition con- nected with the centennial held at Steuben- ville in 1897 J. A. Swickard, a grandson of Martin had on view the powder horn car- ried by his grandfather. The horn was etched with a crude representation of Brit- ish arms, and was probably captured from an Indian.
Michael Myers died, it is said at the age of 107 years. He was born at Winchester, Va., in 1745, and in 1771 settled on Pigeon Creek. Pa. After the Gnadenhutten mas- sacre he was one of those patroling the west bank of the Ohio from Mingo to Yellow Creek. He was a captain of scouts in the
Crawford Expedition, and when separated from the army, found himself surrounded by a horde of yelling savages. Such was his immense strength and fleetness that he succeeded in escaping, rifle in hand, only to be met by another band, in fighting which he was wounded in his leg by an arrow. Pulling this out, he hastened onward, only to be again surrounded by a still larger party of Indians, and here he had to fight. Clubbing with his rifle he managed to keep them at a distance, but was finally struck by a tomahawk on the neck and again on the elbow, which forced him down upon his hands and knees. He was almost in the grasp of the Indians, when by a super- human effort he raised himself and dashed through the ranks of the savages at full speed. In endeavoring to find the army he came across a companion scout who was wounded in the hip, and who was fearful of being left to die alone. Myers tried to as- sist him, and finally got him into a swamp, and then, hearing Indians aproaching, was obliged to leave him to his fate. While in the swamp Myers got his rifle and ammu- nition so wet they were worthless, and he threw them away. He arrived at Fort Henry without further adventure. He al- ways felt like killing an Indian after this whenever he met one, and would not attend an "Indian Show" for that reason. Myers made eleven trips to New Orleans on flat- boats and returned overland through an ahnost unbroken wilderness. He made his last trip near the close of the last century. He and his brother were stricken with the yellow fever at New Orleans. The brother died and Michael was robbed of $1,600. Abont 1795 he located on land purchased by him on Croxton's run above Toronto and in 1799 built a log cabin on the bank of the Ohio near the month of the run. In 1800 he brought his family in a flathoat from what is now Monongahela City and became one of the first settlers. This boat served many years as a ferry boat. In 1808 he built a grist mill on Croxton's Run, which ran until 1861. At about the same time he built a stone house, the first of the
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kind in this part of Ohio, thirty by forty feet, which was kept as a hotel for forty years.
The disaster to the Crawford expedi- tion naturally encouraged the savages to renewed efforts, and in August a grand council was held at Chillicothe resulting in the siege of Fort Henry on September
11th, which was saved by the celebrated powder exploit of Elizabeth Zane.
The accounts of the defeat of General St. Clair in 1791 and the victory of Wayne in 1794, which resulted in the treaty of Greenville extinguishing all Indian titles to this part of Ohio are very interesting, but foreign to the purpose of this work.
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CHAPTER VII
PIONEER SETTLERS
Their Environment and Their Perils-Maxwell's Cabin and Massacre-Trouble With the Authorities-Thrilling Incidents-Last Indian Battle-Climate and Early Social Customs.
To give a detailed history of the early at- ing logs and smoking ruins; around the ground was trodden with many feet of moc- casined men. A tomahawk smeared with fresh blood lay among the embers, and near by lay the charred remains of their late visitor, but not a trace could they dis- cover of their daughter. There seemed no doubt that Sally was dead, and the mother was so crazed by the terrible ca- lamity, that snatching the hunting knife from her husband's belt, she almost severed her head from the body. All the settlers had assembled at Fort Henry; they were soon notified by the infuriated husband, and decided to follow the trail of the sav- nges, but during the first night heavy rains fell, causing all traces of the trail to dis- appear and the baffled party were obliged to return in order to defend their own homes and families. Then it was that Max- well swore to be avenged, and single- handed for months he shadowed the red murderers through the dim forest until his grudge had been glutted a hundredfold, and his name inspired as much terror among the Indians as that of Simon Ken- ton or Lewis Wetzel. Maxwell did not ap- pear again in this vicinity until about the time Fort Steuben was completed by Cap- tain Hamtramck, in February, 1787. Colo- nel Zane recommended him to the captain tempts at settlement in Jefferson County and the adventures of the pioneers would require several volumes instead of one, so that we must in most cases be content with mere references. Reference has already been made to Maxwell's cabin at Rush Run in 1772 as probably the first effort in this direction. He returned here in 1780, bring- ing with him a young bride. Another cabin was erected and a small patch cleared for corn. They made friends with the Indians who called Mrs. Maxwell the "Wild Rose," and the red men while stealing from every- hody else did not molest the Maxwells. The border troubles increasing, most of Max- well's neighbors erected blockhouses as places of refuge and stored them with arms and provisions. He, however, considered himself safe, and soon a daughter was born and named Sally. When the daughter was about three years old the parents made a visit to Fort Henry, leaving her in charge of a young inan who was visiting them. They intended remaining two days, but alarmed by a reported uprising of the In- dians they returned home to bring their visitor and their daughter to the post. As they drew near their cabin the air became thick with smoke, and when they entered the cleared ground, and looked for their home, no home was there. Instead burn- as a seont for the new fort. Zane said his
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eye was keener and his trend lighter than of Indians led by Simon Girty. He aban- those of the most wily savage. He rivaled even that subtlest of Indian hunters, Lewis Wetzel. It was on a scouting expedition from this fort that he met the party of In- dians who had fired upon John Wetzel and a companion, who were going down the river in a canoe, and not obeying the com- mand of the Indinns to stop, Wetzel was shot through the body. He saved his friend, who was mortally wounded, from further outrage by directing him to lie in the bottom of the canoe, while he paddled beyond the reach of the savages. He died upon reaching the shore, and his death was terribly avenged by his son. Maxwell, who had acquired the habit of loading his gun while at a full run, was chased by this sme party from tree to tree, until he had killed three of the six, and the others thinking him always loaded, left him. Maxwell returned to the fort that night with three scalps. He is said to have been surprised and captured by a party of Indians who had closely watched his movements. He was taken alive to their encampment, and after the usual rejoicing over the capture of a noted enemy he was made to run the gauntlet. after which he was blackened and tied to a stake while the fires were kindled. Just as the savages were about to begin the tor- ture, a heavy rain put ont the fire. The Indians concluded not to finish the torture that day, and so postponed it. During the night they taunted the "soft stepper." as he was called by them, who was bound to a log by a buffalo throng around his neck, and his hands were bound to his back with cords. At last those watching him fell asleep, and Maxwell began trying to loose the cords, nud soon extricated one of his arms. It was but the work of a few minutes for him to pull the strap binding him to the log over his head, and quietly getting a pair of moccasins and a jacket from one of his watchers, he sneaked away to where the horses were corralled, and se- lecting the first horse he came across, he was soon far away. It was not long until he was again on the trail of another band
doned the pursuit, however, and was not again actively engaged in Indian warfare until the campaign of 1790, when he acted as n scout for General Harmar. After St. Clair's defeat the next year he returned home and fished along the banks of the Ohio until he joined Wayne, and was a scout in the battle of Fallen Timbers. It was during Wayne's campaign that he dis- covered that his danghter had not been burned in his cabin twelve years before, but had been taken by n chief nnd by him sold to wandering Hurons, who had been ex- pelled by the Iroquois, to the territory nt about the headwaters of the Mississippi. lle also learned that she was still living among the Hurons. No sooner did he hear this from an Indian of the Huron tribe than he set out for their land. He had no doubts, no fears, that she was not his daughter. How he identified her is not known, but in the course of a year after his departure he returned, bringing with him a beautiful and well-proportioned girl of about sixteen years of age. She could speak no word of English and had no recollection of her former home. After she had become re- conciled to her father and was able to speak his language, she told how her life had been spent among the Hurons, where her beauty and white skin had made her ahnost a god- dess. She had always thought herself a daughter of the chief and had often wished that she could darken her skin and hair so she could more resemble the other maidens of the tribe. Although knowing nothing of the ways of civilized society, Sally was not by any means totally nnaccomplished, Her adopted father had taught her to fear the great spirit, speak the truth and to bear pain withont a murmur. She learned that the important part of the Indian woman's duty was to raise the vegetables needed for food. to prepare savory dishes of venison and other game, to make their garments. ornamenting them with uncommon skill and taste, and to manufacture baskets. She knew all the herbs. roots and barks that observation und tradition Ind taught the
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Indian to employ in the cure of diseases; all the trees and shrubs were known to her by the Indian name, and she was skilled in domestic surgery. For a long time she pined for the freedom of her Indian home, but the kindness and patience of the ma- trons living near Fort Henry, finally weaned her away from all inclination to return. Her father, now declared peace between him and the red man.
Maxwell's early settlement was soon fol- lowed by others, which were not regarded as legalized by the government. After Congress issued orders for the settlers who had squatted on the west bank of the Ohio to remove until titles could be had from the Indians and then disposed of to settlers in a proper way, Colonel Harmar sent a de- tachment of troops down the river to dis- lodge all who refused to obey the order. This detachment was under command of Eusign Armstrong who made report April 12, 1785. He crossed the Little Beaver on April 1. and dispossessed a family. Four miles below he found families living in sheds, but they having no ruft on which to transport their goods, he gave them until the 31st, in which to leave. At the mouth of Yellow Creek he dispossessed two fum- ilies and destroyed their cabins with fire. On the 3rd he dispossessed eight families. On the 4th he arrived at Mingo, where he read his instructions to Joseph Ross, who would not believe the instructions came from Congress; neither did he care from whom they came, he was determined to hold possession; if his house were de- stroyed he would build another, or six more, for that matter, within a week. "He also," says the report of Armstrong, "east many reflections on the honorable. the Con- gress and the commissioners and the com- manding officer." Armstrong said he con- sidered him a dangerous man, took him prisoner and sent him to Wheeling under guard. The other settlers, who seemed to be tenants under Ross, were given a few days' time, at the end of which they prom- ised to leave. On the evening of the 4th Charles Norris, with a party of armed men,
arrived at the ensign's quarters and de- manded his instructions; but they were soon convinced und lodged their arms with the officer. Armstrong learned from Norris that a large body of armed settlers had assembled eleven miles below, ready to re- sist his orders. On the 5th Armstrong arrived at the Norris settlement. He in- formed Norris that if the order were re- sisted he would fire on the settlers, and he ordered his men to load. However, the set- tlers finally laid down their arms and agreed to remove to the east side of the river on the 19th. The names of the first settlers whose cabins were scattered throughout this region were as follows: Thomas Tilton, John Nixon, Henry Cassill, John Nowles. John Tilton, John Fitzpatrick, Daniel Men- ser, Zephenia Dunn, John McDonald, Henry Froggs, Wiland Hoagland, Michael Rawlings, Thomas Dawson, Thomas Me- Donald, William Shiff, Solomon Delong, Charles Ward, Frederick Lamb, John Rig- don, George Weleams, Jessie Edgington, Nathaniel Parremore, Jessie Parremore, Jacob Clark, James Clark, Adam Hause, Thomas JJolmson, Hanament Davis, Will- iam Wallace, Joseph Redburn, Jonathan Mapins, William Mann, Daniel Kerr, Will- iam Kerr, Joseph Ross, James Watson, Abertious Bailey, Charles Chambers, Rob- ert Hill, James Panl, William McNees, Archibald Harben, William Bailey, Jones Amspoker, Nicholas Decker, John Platt, Benjamin Reed, Joseph Goddard, Henry Conrod, William Carpenter, Jolin Goddard, George Reno, John Buchanan, Daniel Mathews.
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